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Asus AiMesh - AND Mess...

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florrepus

New Around Here
I am a ”semi-professional” Asus user. I have been using Asus routers for more than 5 years; I have +10 various Asus routers.

In a large two floor flat with thick concrete floor and lost of brick walls, I was using one AC66U A1. It covered most of the first floor and parts of the second floor. I have a + 500/500 Mbps fiber connection installed, so I decided to get a better WiFi network.

First I bought a Google WiFi mesh package with 3 units. It was very simple to install and of course improved the coverage. But for various reasons, I decide to go for AiMesh instead.

AiMesh
First I replaced my AC66U_A1 with an AC86U. By itself the coverage was significantly improved. I got 200 Mbps coverage everywhere at first floor, and 30-50 Mbps most all places at second floor.

Then I install an AC68U in the second floor, and got a minimum 100Mbps everywhere at that floor.

Except for that these two routers costs more than 3 Google WiFi routers, and it was some problems in making the two Asus’ work - I am happy!

But then came (Ai) Mess
For some reasons, I needed an extra mesh node. I had an AC66U_B1, and the configuration menus are identical to AC68U and AC86U (while my AC66U_A1 has no signs of mesh configuration possibilities). For a period it worked. But then came a new firmware, and it stopped working.

I have spent lots (and lots, and lots…) of time trying all combinations of one them as a router, and the two others as nodes. But AC66U_B1 never connects. Not even with the new 3.0.0.4.384_20942-ge38bead firmware in all. Including trying with the AC68U firmware, in the AC66U_B1.

So for me: the AC66U_B1 is really a Mess.

(I have read that people are able to connect two AC66U_B1, but I have not tried myself.)

-------
(PS: nothing directly to do with the above, but the speed I get is very depending upon the PC/tablet/phone I am using to test. At the exact same spot, 3 meters away from my AC86U:
A brand new top model phone: 400 Mbps
A two year old medium cost tablet: 200 Mbps
A tree year old medium cost tablet: 100 Mbps
A tree year old medium cost phone: 40 Mbps)
 
So for me: the AC66U_B1 is really a Mess.

Some call the 66U B1 a 68U.

Some call it a mess.

I call it not listed by ASUS as an AiMesh-supported router.

OE
 
I am a ”semi-professional” Asus user. I have been using Asus routers for more than 5 years; I have +10 various Asus routers.

In a large two floor flat with thick concrete floor and lost of brick walls, I was using one AC66U A1. It covered most of the first floor and parts of the second floor. I have a + 500/500 Mbps fiber connection installed, so I decided to get a better WiFi network.

First I bought a Google WiFi mesh package with 3 units. It was very simple to install and of course improved the coverage. But for various reasons, I decide to go for AiMesh instead.

AiMesh
First I replaced my AC66U_A1 with an AC86U. By itself the coverage was significantly improved. I got 200 Mbps coverage everywhere at first floor, and 30-50 Mbps most all places at second floor.

Then I install an AC68U in the second floor, and got a minimum 100Mbps everywhere at that floor.

Except for that these two routers costs more than 3 Google WiFi routers, and it was some problems in making the two Asus’ work - I am happy!

But then came (Ai) Mess
For some reasons, I needed an extra mesh node. I had an AC66U_B1, and the configuration menus are identical to AC68U and AC86U (while my AC66U_A1 has no signs of mesh configuration possibilities). For a period it worked. But then came a new firmware, and it stopped working.

I have spent lots (and lots, and lots…) of time trying all combinations of one them as a router, and the two others as nodes. But AC66U_B1 never connects. Not even with the new 3.0.0.4.384_20942-ge38bead firmware in all. Including trying with the AC68U firmware, in the AC66U_B1.

So for me: the AC66U_B1 is really a Mess.

(I have read that people are able to connect two AC66U_B1, but I have not tried myself.)

-------
(PS: nothing directly to do with the above, but the speed I get is very depending upon the PC/tablet/phone I am using to test. At the exact same spot, 3 meters away from my AC86U:
A brand new top model phone: 400 Mbps
A two year old medium cost tablet: 200 Mbps
A tree year old medium cost tablet: 100 Mbps
A tree year old medium cost phone: 40 Mbps)
Quick question;
Are you using a wired or wireless backhaul? I have a similar setup, and couldn't for the life of me, get my 66U-B1 to connect to the 68U for more than 10 minutes at the time. Then, I tried setting it up using a wired backhaul and it's been perfect ever since.

Firmware on both: 3.0.0.4.384_20942
 
Quick question;
Are you using a wired or wireless backhaul? I have a similar setup, and couldn't for the life of me, get my 66U-B1 to connect to the 68U for more than 10 minutes at the time. Then, I tried setting it up using a wired backhaul and it's been perfect ever since.

Firmware on both: 3.0.0.4.384_20942
so first update both to 21045 and see if it keeps running now ...

Are they both set to same country/region, neccessary for AiMesh to work?
 
Finally:

AC1750 RT-AC66U B1* and RT-AC1750 B1* are now in the official AiMesh support list from Asus: https://www.asus.com/AiMesh/ (No explanation why there is a * after this model. And are they not the same routers, only with two marketing names?)

With the New firmware released 2018/07/06: RT-AC66U_B1_3.0.0.4_384_21140-ge07a2dd, I managed to configured one AC66U-B1 to my RT-AC68U.

I had however to try many times to establish the connection. I have not managed to connect another AC66U-B1 nor an AC66U-B2 so far. I might have tried 10 times.

With the AC66U connected with WiFi, I get 394/295 Mbps with the node 15 meters away in another floor (4 m lower), with cable I get 767/940 Mbps (test PC cable connected to the node in both cases).

This is about twice the WiFi speed I got With Google WiFi - but on the other hand they worked at the first attempt...
 

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